Famous Falsettos

How did famous falsettos come to dominate the rock charts? When did the public become so fascinated with men singing like girls? How did we evolve from Alpine yodels to Little Richard?

From The Bees Gees to Justin Timberlake, the male falsetto is transgressive, both angelic and diabolical, depending on who is singing, and to what purpose. — Anwyn Crawford

What the hell happened?

There was a time when most male singers were baritones, with the occasional bass and tenor. Countertenors were rarer than unicorns.

What the hell happened, and when did it happen?

When did grown men start singing like girls?

I blame it all on the Alpine yodel!

But that's getting ahead of myself, so let’s look back to arguably the most important year in the history of rock'n'roll…

Consider 1956, arguably the breakout and breakthrough year for rock 'n' roll.

Why?

Elvis Presley's appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was the most-watched TV show in history.

Rock has arrived, and its King is ripped and risqué! Daddies, lock up your little girls!

But at the other end of the rock spectrum, Little Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers have a number one hit with "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" Lymon was 13 and probably not all that studly when he wrote the song. Even worse, he sang like a girl.

What the hell was going on?

Why were girls screaming for Little Frankie?

At an even more distant end of the rock spectrum, Howlin’ Wolf employed an eerie falsetto in his 1956 recording of "Smokestack Lightning." Furthermore, this Wolf’s "howl" has been described as a falsetto scream — an influence on Little Richard, the self-proclaimed Architect of rock'n'roll, and through him, on the Beatles when they toured together and Little Richard taught them those high-pitched yips, yells and primal screams.

Clarence "Frogman" Henry taught the young white whippersnappers how to really electrify audiences with his 1956 hit "Ain't Got No Home," in which he admitted (or bragged), '"I sing like a girl."

Yes, the frisky kitten was out of the bag!

AI groks how falsetto shook the foundations of rock in 1956: "In 1956, falsetto emerged as a significant vocal technique in popular music, particularly within the rock and roll and R&B genres."

And of course the Architect was there, lighting up and electrifying the stage with his 1956 hits "Long Tall Sally" and "The Girl Can't Help It.”

Also, as Rate Your Music observed, 1956 "was the year when uptempo doo-wop fully emerged as an important sound in American pop."

And doo-wop was all about men singing like girls.

NOTE: All note data comes from Range Planet and Range Hub.

The king himself would employ falsetto in a number of his early hits, including hitting an A5 in "Mystery Train" (1955), a C5 in"Blue Moon" (1956), an F♯5 in "Little Darlin" (1956), an F♯5 in "Jailhouse Rock" (1957), and a G5 in "Fever" (1960).

Finally, Frankie Valli had his first hit song in 1956 with the Four Lovers, "You're the Apple of My Eye," earning the group an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Yes, 1956 was the year the falsetto went from a novelty to a REALLY BIG THING.

But it didn't pop up from nowhere, so let's go back a bit further in time.

In 1939, the Ink Spots, one of the first doo-wop groups, sold 19 million copies of "If I Didn’t Care." That was a crazy number for that era. Why? Because lead singer Bill Kenny sounded like a girl.

In 1927, Jimmy Rodgers, who has been called "the father of country music," recorded "Blue Yodel" and sold half a million copies, a phenomenal number at the time.

It seems the public loves hearing men sing like girls!

Rodgers would become an influence on blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Hurt and Tommy Johnson, and through them an influence on all genres of rock to come.

And now you know why I blame the yodel, which I will explore further in my FALSETTO TIMELINE, which takes us back to the recordings of the early 1900s.

Men singing like girls had become a thing.

A big thing!

Maybe the biggest thing?

Michael Jackson could sing in his lower register, but usually chose his upper, often his falsetto.

Apparently the King of Pop knew where his bread was buttered!

FAMOUS FALSETTOS

The falsetto is, by definition, a false voice, touched with degeneracy, sparking anxiety and ambivalence alongside intrigue and rapture. — Anwyn Crawford

Due to the diminutive form, we might call falsetto a "false little voice." I've heard an opera singer describe it that way.

Let the debate rage on, because not everyone agrees on who is using falsetto, and when.

For instance, opinions are split on what Robert Plant does. I asked AI and got this consensus response:

“Yes, Robert Plant does use falsetto in his singing, but he also blends falsetto with chest voice and head voice to create a dynamic and expressive sound.”

But let’s consult Plant himself.

"I know that the full, open-throated falsetto that I was able to concoct in 1968 carried me through until I was tired of it," he recently told the Los Angeles Times. "Then that sort of exaggerated personality of vocal performance morphed and went somewhere else."

Some falsettos are more powerful than others. Frankie Valli and Lou Christie had powerful falsettos. Others are more “breathy” like those of Michael Jackson and the Bee Gees.

If you disagree about some of the male singers here employing falsetto, let’s agree that some men can hit extremely high notes and not worry too much about the technique(s) involved. Instead, let’s focus on the thrilling (and sometimes chilling) results.

This is my personal "top ten" list of the greatest male falsetto singers, both groups and individuals. After the rankings and capsules, I have a FALSETTO TIMELINE that traces the evolution of Alpine yodels to Elvis and the Beatles. Yes, I'm sure you know your modern falsettos, but do you, for instance, know about Homer Quincy Smith, who in 1926 recorded the gospel song "I Want Jesus To Talk With Me" while alternating between a deep baritone, dark tenor, and eerie falsetto. I doubt anyone ever heard anything like it. Before or since. I know I never have. An undiscovered early masterpiece. I have a link to his recording in the timeline.

Or how about John Jacob Niles, the "Dean of American Balladeers," whose lilting falsetto was an influence on Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, and the American folk revival of the 50s and 60s?

Niles regularly employed a very high falsetto vocal range that he described as the "electrifying effect of the male C# alto."

Or how about Skip James, a Delta Blues guitarist who recorded "Devil Got My Woman" in 1931, singing darkly in what has been called a "chilling falsetto." There are rumors that James sold his soul to the Devil in order to obtain his musical gifts.

Group Falsettos

(#10) A-ha with lead singer Morton Harket hitting otherworldly notes on "Take On Me."

(#9) The Neville Brothers led by Aaron Neville on songs like "In the Still of the Night" and "I Don't Know Much."

(#8) Sly and the Family Stone on classics like "Stand" and "Dance to the Music."

(#7) The Stylistics led by Russell Thompkins Jr. on songs like "Betcha By Golly Wow" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New."

(#6) Journey, led by Steve Perry on songs like "Open Arms" and "Wheel in the Sky." We will be hearing more about the incredible Mr. Perry shortly.

(#5) The Beatles with John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr on songs like "Helter Skelter" and "Hey Jude."

(#4) The Beach Boys with Brian Wilson and Carl Wilson on songs like "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations."

(#3) The Bee-Gees with those breathy, quavering falsettos of Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb and Maurice Gibb on songs like "Night Fever," "Words" and "Run to Me."

(#2) The Four Seasons with Frankie Valli leading the way on songs like "Rag Doll," "Walk Like a Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry” and "Sherry."

(#1) Queen with Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon on songs like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Somebody to Love."

High Honorable Mention: Castaways esp. "Liar Liar," Coldplay, Brooks & Dunn esp. "My Maria," DeBarge, Doobie Brothers, ELO, Focus esp. "Hocus Pocus," Maroon 5, Muse, Newbeats esp. "Breat and Butter" and "Run Baby Run," New Birth esp. "Wildflower," Ohio Players, Radiohead, Rolling Stones, Temptations, Tokens esp. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," Vogues esp. "Five O’Clock World," Yes esp. "Roundabout"

Individual Falsettos

(#10) Brian and Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys singing "Don’t Worry Baby," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows" and "Surf's Up."

(#9) Robert Plant threatening to shatter glass on Led Zeppelin’s "Black Dog" and "Immigrant Song."

(#8) Roy Orbison rending heartstrings with his operatic falsetto on songs like "Crying," "Leah" and "Blue Angel."

(#7) Russell Thompkins Jr. of the Stylistics sounding so sexy and stylish on songs like "Betcha By Golly Wow" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New."

(#6) Steve Perry of Journey hitting interstellar high notes with laser-like precision on "Wheel In The Sky," "Open Arms," "Faithfully" and "Good Morning Girl."

(#5) Barry Gibb's breathy falsetto seducing our ears on "Words," "Run To Me," "How Deep Is Your Love" and "To Love Somebody."

(#4) Robin Gibb's quavering falsetto outshining even his brother's on "I Started A Joke," "Message To You" and the intro to "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart."

(#3) Frankie Valli's powerful falsetto starring on hits like "Sherry," "Dawn," "Rag Doll," "Walk Like A Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Stay."

(#3) Lou Christie's falsetto rivaling Valli's on songs like "Lightning Strikes" and "Two Faces Have I." Also, "Rhapsody of the Rain."

(#3) Aaron Neville's quavering falsetto on songs like "In the Still of the Night" and "I Don't Know Much."

(#3) Freddie Mercury's operatic falsetto on "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Somebody to Love."

(#2) The Artist known as Prince hitting every high note perfectly and seductively on songs like "Kiss," "Cream," "Pink Cashmere," "Adore" and "When Doves Cry."

(#1) Little Richard teaching male singers it's cool to wear makeup, preen and emit primal yips, yells, woos and screams on songs like "Tutti-Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Rip It Up," "Long Tall Sally" and "Lucille."

High Honorable Mention: Jon Anderson of Yes, Philip Bailey of Earth Wind & Fire, Jonsi Birgisson of Sigur Ros, Bono of U2, Jeff Buckley, Gene Chandler, Michael Crawford of Phantom of the Opera fame, Bobby DeBarge, King Diamond, Dimash esp. "S.O.S," Marvin Gaye, Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, Al Green, John Gourley of Portugal. The Man, Morton Harket of A-ha, Justin Hawkins, Chris Isaak, Sir Elton John, Robert John, Adam Lambert, John Lennon, Curtis Mayfield, Clyde McPhatter, George Michael, John Jacob Niles, Frank Ocean, Mike Patton of Faith No More, Smokey Robinson, Axl Rose of Guns 'n Roses, Del Shannon, Justin Timberlake, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Vitas, The Weeknd, Hank Williams Sr. (great yodels and little falsetto flips), Pharrell Williams, Jackie Wilson, Thom Yorke of Radiohead

ELVIS RULES, AS ALWAYS

But there's one male vocalist who stands out above all the others, in my opinion, and that is Elvis Presley. To understand why, I suggest going to YouTube and listening to Elvis's eerie-but-enchanting 1954 Sun recording of "Blue Moon" and his 1960 version of "Fever." In the latter, Elvis hit a high falsetto G5 in some of his live performances.

Elvis went even higher, with an A5 in "Mystery Train" and the home recording of "Stand By Me."

I’m not an expert, but to my ear it sounds as if Elvis could hit a C5 full-voice, and after that depended on his falsetto.

Please be sure not to miss his rockabilly version of "Good Rockin' Tonight."

Then check out his tender, sweet version of "Crying in the Chapel."

Next, listen to the powerful high notes he hits on "American Trilogy," especially his version of "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Then listen to his undervalued masterpieces "What Now My Love" and "It's Now or Never." The latter is wonderfully sweet ... until the power of Elvis's voice kicks in and takes the song to another dimension.

Now listen to him growl out "One Night."

Then check out the high falsetto E5 in his 1977 performance of "Unchained Melody."

Finish by listening to his enchanting country-flavored "That's Alright (Mama)" and gospel songs like "Peace in the Valley."

Try as I may, I can't think of another male singer who can go from nearly infinite sweetness, to ferocity, to spirituality and soulfulness, to tremendous power the way Elvis does.

Granted, at times Elvis could seem like a cheesy lounge act, but with the right song in hand he was untouchable. I agree with George Barbel, who said: "When healthy and serious, he was flat-out the world's greatest singer. In his voice, he possessed the most beautiful musical instrument, and the genius to play that instrument perfectly; he could jump from octave to countless other octaves with such agility without voice crack, simultaneously sing a duet with his own overtones, rein in an always-lurking atomic explosion to so effortlessly fondle, and release, the most delicate chimes of pathos. Yet, those who haven't been open (or had the chance) to explore some of Presley's most brilliant work―the almost esoteric ballads and semi-classical recordings―have cheated themselves out of one of the most beautiful gifts to fall out of the sky in a lifetime. Fortunately, this magnificent musical instrument reached its perfection around 1960, the same time the recording industry finally achieved sound reproduction rivaling that of today. So, it's never too late to explore and cherish a well-preserved miracle, as a simple trip to the record store will truly produce unparalleled chills and thrills, for the rest of your life; and then you'll finally understand the best reason this guy never goes away."

Or as Robert Christgau said: "I know he invented rock and roll, in a manner of speaking, but ... that's not why he's worshiped as a god today. He's worshiped as a god today because in addition to inventing rock and roll he was the greatest ballad singer this side of Frank Sinatra—because the spiritual translucence and reined-in gut sexuality of his slow weeper and torchy pop blues still activate the hormones and slavish devotion of millions of female human beings worldwide."

Or as William F. Buckley, Jr. put it: "Presley brought an excitement to singing, in part because rock and roll was greeted as his invention, but for other reasons not so widely reflected on: Elvis Presley had the most beautiful singing voice of any human being on earth."

Or as Deep Purple's lead singer and frontman, Ian Gillan, a damn good singer in his own right, said: "Those early records at the Sun Records label are still incredible and the reason is simple: he was the greatest singer that ever lived."

Elvis really was the King. If you want to have your breath absolutely taken away, go back and listen to those early recordings of "Blue Moon" and "Fever." They will send chills down your spine, and you'll know why Elvis was the King and remains the King, not only of rock, but also of country and gospel. But was Elvis the greatest male falsetto singer of all time? It's hard to say if Elvis was really singing falsetto at times, because his voice in its upper register was so wonderfully high, pure, sweet and effortless. For instance, consider the closing notes of his amazing rendition of the classic "Danny Boy" ...

But does it really matter how Elvis did whatever he did? To understand and properly appreciate the genius of Elvis Presley, I recommend the following songs: Blue Moon, Fever, Crying in the Chapel, American Trilogy, One Night (with You), That's Alright (Mama), What Now My Love, It's Now or Never, How Great Thou Art, Peace in the Valley, He Touched Me, Stand By Me, Love Me, You'll Never Walk Alone, Thrill of Your Love, Jailhouse Rock, If I Can Dream, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Unchained Melody, Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Hurt, Kentucky Rain, Any Day Now, Don't Be Cruel, Surrender and Heartbreak Hotel

compiled by Michael R. Burch

You can find a more comprehensive list of the best falsetto singers at the bottom of this page.

But what, exactly, are we talking about? Falsetto (meaning "false voice") was a term commonly used in 16th-century Italy to describe what one hears when a natural bass singer attempts to sing soprano. The falsetto is an "inherently unnatural technique for men" that allows them to sing above their normal range by stretching their vocal cords, perhaps to the breaking point. Or, more accurately, the vocal cords are constricted in movement rather than stretched.

This is my personal "top ten" list of the greatest falsetto performances:

(#10) Morton Harket, the lead singer of the Norwegian band A-ha, is most famous for his ethereal vocals on "Take On Me."

(#9) Elvis Presley's falsetto is lovely, light and hauntingly touching in the early Sun Records recording of "Blue Moon" and "Fever."

(#8) Gene Chandler's tenor soars into a wordless but moving falsetto in "Duke of Earl."

(#7) Jeff Lynne of ELO dials in emotion on "Telephone Line."

(#6) Aaron Neville sings "I Don't Know Much" with aching tenderness in his duet with Linda Ronstadt.

(#5) The Vogues make yodeling hip in "Five O'Clock World," a song that seems as fresh today as when it first hit the charts in 1965.

(#4) Freddy Mercury's falsetto soars to alien heights on "Bohemian Rhapsody," aided by the falsetto backing vocals of drummer Roger Taylor

(#3) Jay Siegel of the Tokens provides the yodel-like falsetto lead on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

(#2) Lou Christie's electric "Lightning Strikes" is a falsettist cult classic.

(#2) Frankie Valli’s powerful falsetto shines on “Sherry.”

(#2) Prince's falsetto on "Kiss" is softer and more subtle, but just as electric.

(#2) Sly Stone hitting those crazy high notes on "Stand."

(#1) Harry Nilsson's ethereal "Without You" is perhaps the greatest and most touching male vocal performance ever.

But what about Bobby Hatfield singing "Unchained Melody" and "Ebb Tide"?

Those are two of my all-time favorite male vocal performances. However the experts say Hatfield did not use falsetto on "Unchained Melody" but was a countertenor with a range of four and a half octaves and was singing in his head voice. His highest note, a G5, half an octave above tenor, was sung in his head voice, from what I understand. According to the Range Planet, Hatfield had a vocal range of B2 to E♭6, so he could have gone even higher if he had wanted to. But why tamper with perfection?

Countering the Tenor

Amusingly, a countertenor can also be called a "contra tenor" as if they are contra reality!

Countertenors are very rare and can sing as high as mezzo-sopranos (A5) and sometimes as sopranos (C6).

How rare?

Russell Oberlin, the best-known 20th century classical altino, claimed to be the only true countertenor because he used his chest voice rather than falsetto.

But there are a few modern candidates…

For instance, Dimash Kudaibergen, nicknamed the Six Octave Man, can hit a C6 in full mixed voice, an F#6 in head voice, and D8 in falsetto. I will note, however, that Dimash’s D6 in "S.O.S." sounds like the gates of heaven opened, while his D8 in another song (I forget which) sounds positively weird and not at all pleasing to my ear. Too thin and shrill. Almost painful.

Countertenors who can reach high notes in their chest voices include Dimash (check out his full-voice high notes on "S.O.S."), John Holiday, Bruno Mars, Alex Newell andVitas. Then there are rare tenors and baritones with extended range like Freddie Mercury and Adam Lambert of Queen, Steve Perry of Journey, Mike Patton of Faith No More, Geoff Tate of Queensryche, and Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco.

Whether Marvin Gaye, Prince and Art Garfunkel were countertenors is still being debated. One expert noted that "Garfunkel is a half-and-half, sitting directly between high tenor and low alto."

Male singers capable of singing female alto in chest voice are rarer than unicorns and include Art Garfunkel, Steve Perry, Smokey Robinson and Neil Sedaka.

But Steve Perry was in another league, at least to my ear.

Steve Perry has been described as a "high tenor altino" and "haute contre" (a very rare natural male alto, and we're back to contra reality). Others have called him a countertenor, which is how I lean. One critic, grasping for labels and finding none that fit, called Perry "confusing." In any case, Perry regularly hit ultra-high notes with laser-like precision.

Perry entered countertenor range on songs like "Wheel in the Sky" and "Open Arms."

And he hit the high notes with more ferocity and power than his closest male competitors, while maintaining amazing accuracy. I love Art Garfunkel, who sang like an angel, but can’t imagine him fronting Journey, nor Smokey nor Sedaka.

Perry's highest recorded note is widely believed to be the soprano-like C6 he achieved live during a performance of "On a Saturday Night" in Tokyo in 1979.

That C6 is where only angels and sopranos dare to tread.

In short, everyone wants to sound like Steve Perry, but no one does.

Until Dimash hit that heavenly D6.

But I digress…

After a Short Intermission, Back to Falsettos

The falsetto "is kind of like a high-wire act without a net," says Didi Stewart, an associate professor of voice at Berkley, explaining that "there’s something provocative and heart wrenching about that high male voice." Perhaps the difficulty is part of the appeal, like scaling Mount Everest.

Okay, Make It A Top Twenty-Five

Del Shannon belting out "Runaway."

Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones on "Fool To Cry."

The Bee Gees waxing stratospheric on "Night Fever.”

Jon Bon Jovi on "Runaway" and "Living On A Prayer."

Kevin Godley of Godley & Creme on "Cry."

Brooks & Dunn on "My Maria"

Focus hitting the stratosphere on "Hocus Pocus"

New Birth on "Wildflower"

Yes waxing operatic on "Roundabout"

Michael Jackson's lovely "Butterflies" (and falsetto shrieks elsewhere in his catalog).

Paul McCartney on (take your pick) "Hey Jude," "I Saw Her Standing There," "Twist and Shout" and "Helter Skelter."

Adam Lambert, according to Queen's Brian May, is the only lead singer able to match Freddy Mercury's highest notes.

Smokey Robinson of the Miracles sounded like an angel on "Tracks Of My Tears," "Ooh Baby Baby" and "Cruisin'."

Al Green was "born with heaven in his vocal cords; everything he has ever touched has a miasma of glory and sweetness." For instance, the 1972 classic "Still In Love With You."

EERIEST FALSETTOS

Elvis Presley's falsetto is impressively light, airy, delicate and eerie in "Blue Moon" and "Fever."

New Birth has a haunting falsetto in the background of the spoken-word section of "Wildflower."

John Jacob Niles, the "Dean of American Balladeers," displays an otherworldly falsetto on songs like "Bowie Bowerie," "Barbara Allen/Barb'ry Ellen," and "I Wonder as I Wander" (which he wrote). Niles was an important influence on Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary, among many others, and on the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s.

Homer Quincy Smith, who in 1926 recorded the gospel song "I Want Jesus To Talk With Me" while alternating between a deep baritone, dark tenor, and eerie falsetto.

HOW DO THEY DO THE IMPOSSIBLE?

The boy soprano with his girlish voice tone is like the castrato: "hardly sexy but certainly queer, between gender binaries." A man’s falsetto, however, is that "clear feigned sound" which "reaches high into a woman’s soprano register but is not womanly." According to Anwyn Crawford, "Where the boy soprano is charmingly innocent, the male falsetto is transgressive. His voice can go to places that his body cannot, or rather, his body produces a voice that makes 'his' a slippery assignation."

How does it work? Here is what sounds like an expert opinion: "When you sing, your entire vocal cord vibrates, with the elastic, fatty tissue of the vocal folds closing and unclosing with each vibration, which produce a sustained note. But when you're singing falsetto, only the edges of the vocal cord vibrate, and the vocal folds don't close at all, so a note is only sounded for as long as the singer is able to blast air from their lungs up through the folds. The difference between a trained countertenor and a falsettist singing in this range is that the countertenor can close and open his vocal folds with each vibration cycle – effectively singing "naturally," rather than the idiosyncratic straining of falsetto."

There is some debate as to whether women can sing in a falsetto voice, or need to. Singers like Maria Carey can hit otherworldly high notes known as "whistle tones." But for the purposes of this page, I am going to stick with male singers who do what seems impossible.

LITTLE RICHARD’S INFLUENCE

Little Richard, who was born Richard Penniman in Macon, Georgia, in 1932, called himself the Architect and wasn't exaggerating. According to Rolling Stone his influence is "incalculable." I agree.

Why?

• James Brown said Little Richard was "the first to put the funk in rhythm."

• Jimi Hendrix said, "I want to do with my guitar what Little Richard does with his voice."

• The Beatles learned their falsetto yips and woos from the Architect when they toured together.

• “I could do Little Richard’s voice, which is a wild, hoarse, screaming thing; it’s like an out-of-body experience,” said Paul McCartney, one of the Architect’s best imitators. “You have to leave your current sensibilities and go about a foot above your head to sing it.”

• In his high school yearbook, Bob Dylan said his ambition was "to join Little Richard."

• A nine-year-old David Bowie bought a saxophone hoping to join Little Richard as well.

• Little Richard was an obvious influence on "Bowie’s glam period, the prancing and strutting of Mick Jagger, the psychosexual convolutions of Prince — all are hard to imagine without Richard’s androgynous flamboyance leading the way."

Falsetto Timeline: A Brief History of the Falsetto in Modern Popular Music: Country, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Doo-Wop, Folk, Pop and Rock

1903: Peter La Mar songs with yodeling which include "Katrina," "Sleep Baby Sleep," "Hush-a-Bye Baby" and "Roll On, Silver Moon."

1906: George P. Watson records "Hi-le hi-lo" a yodeling song with "yodel" spelled "yodle" on Victor 4663 in 1906, then later the same year "Roll On, Silver Moon" on Victor 4836 with "yodel" spelled correctly. Apparently it took the music business some time to grok these quirky girl-voiced singers!

1911: George P. Watson records "Sleep Baby Sleep," so it seems popular yodeling songs were being recorded by multiple artists. Or they were stealing from each other!

1925: Cliff Edwards and Red Nichols record "Dinah" with what sounds like a combination of scatting and yodeling. Edwards (aka Ukulele Ike) also records "Alabamy Bound" the same year with what sounds like primitive beat-boxing! My research later confirmed that Edwards was a jazz scat singer.

1926: Homer Quincy Smith records the gospel song "I Want Jesus To Talk With Me" while alternating between a deep baritone, dark tenor, and eerie falsetto. I doubt anyone ever heard anything like it. Before or since.

1927: Jimmy Rodgers, who has been called "the father of country music," records "Blue Yodel" and sells half a million copies, a phenomenal number at the time. It seems the public loves hearing men sing like girls! Rodgers becomes an influence on blues artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Hurt and Tommy Johnson. Rodgers also influences rockers Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis. Rodgers is eventually elected to both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Blues Hall of Fame.

1927: Marion Williams, the great gospel singer, is born. Rolling Stone called her "possibly the best singer ever." Little Richard credited her as the source of his falsetto whoops and trills.

1928: Tommy Johnson, an influential Delta Blues guitar, records "Canned Heat Blues," employing an eerie yodel-like falsetto reminiscent of Rodgers.

1929: Cliff Edwards anticipates Tiny Tim by crooning "Singing In The Rain" accompanied by his ukulele.

1930: Bo Carter, an early American blues musician, sings "Someday" with little aesthetically pleasing falsetto flips. Carter was known for bawdy songs like "Banana in Your Fruit Basket," "Pin in Your Cushion," "Your Biscuits Are Big Enough for Me," "Please Warm My Wiener" and "My Pencil Won't Write No More." But the talented Carter also recorded the first version of "Corrine Corrina." It later became a hit for Big Joe Turner.

1930: Jimmy Rodgers records "Blue Yodel #9" with Louis Armstrong.

1931: Skip James, another Delta Blues guitarist, records "Devil Got My Woman" singing darkly in what has been called a "chilling falsetto." There are rumors that he sold his soul to the Devil in order to obtain his musical gifts.

1934: Bill Kenny and the Ink Spots appear at the Apollo. Kenny was notable for his "unusual high tenor ballad singing," a hallmark of falsetto singers to come.

1936: Blues legend Robert Johnson, also reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil, records "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" replete with falsetto wailing.

1939: Billy Kenny and the Ink Spots record "If I Didn't Care," which sells over 19 million copies, becoming the 7th-best-selling single of all time.

1947: Maithe Marshall and the Ravens begin to record a new kind of R&B music that becomes known as Doo-Wop; they are the first R&B group to choreograph movements.

1948: Sonny Til and the Orioles are definitely ahead of their time with "It's Too Soon To Know."

1949: Jackie Wilson drops out of high school at age 15, takes up boxing, then gives it up for music. The rest, as they say, is history ...

1950: Clyde McPhatter joins Billy Ward and the Dominoes, the most popular and successful of the early R&B groups.

1951: Pete Seeger engages in falsetto yodeling on "Wimoweh" (which later becomes "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with the addition of English lyrics).

1952: The Four Freshman begin to record songs like "Angel Eyes" featuring Bob Flanigan's falsetto, which Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys emulates after making "solitary pilgrimages" to watch them perform.

1953: Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons begin to record falsetto affairs, many of which become chart-toppers. Valli has an unusually powerful, piercing falsetto.

1953: The Orioles have a much-covered hit with their lovely "Crying In The Chapel." Elvis eventually covers the song.

1950: Jackie Wilson replaces Clyde McPhatter as lead singer of the Dominoes. Wilson would be called "the black Elvis" and "Mr. Excitement."

1953: Clyde McPhatter and his new group, the Drifters, hit the charts for the first time with "The Way I Feel."

1954: Elvis Presley's first single is an up-tempo version of the Chicago Blues classic "That's All Right." (Rolling Stone magazine called it the first rock-n-roll record.) The flip side is the country classic "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Presley is called "the freshest, newest voice in country music" and one of the "slickest" country singers to come along in some time. Little did they know what The Pelvis was up to ...

1954: Elvis Presley records "Blue Moon" in an eerie, haunting falsetto. This is not "Blue Moon of Kentucky," but the song that begins: "Blue moon, I saw you standing alone ..."

1955: Little Richard begins to record; his is no angelic falsetto, but it certainly packs sex appeal.

1955: Jimmy Jones and the Sparks of Rhythm predict that "Star Are In The Sky."

1955: Vernon Staley and the Mello-Harps record "Love Is A Vow."

1955: Elvis's first number one hit is on the Country charts: "I Forgot To Remember To Forget."

1955: Elvis's "Don't Be Cruel" is number one on the Pop, Country and R&B charts.

1955: Little Richard unleashes his falsetto, hitting an F5 and E♭6, on "Tutti Frutti" with tamed-down lyrics for the censors.

1956: Elvis Presley's appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show is the most-watched TV show in history. Rock has arrived, and its King is ripped and risqué.

1956: At the other end of the rock spectrum, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers have a number one hit in the US with "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" in 1956. Lymon was 13 when he wrote the song.

1956: At an even more distant end of the rock spectrum, Howlin’ Wolf employed falsetto in "Smokestack Lightning." His "howl" has been described as a falsetto scream.

1956: The self-described Architect of rock'n'roll, Little Richard, features his flamboyant falsetto and hits an F5 on "Long Tall Sally." He also hits a D6 on "Rip It Up."

1956: Frankie Valli has his first hit song with the Four Lovers, "You're the Apple of My Eye," earning the group an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

1957: Little Richard delivers falsetto woos aplenty in his hits "Lucille" and "Jenny Jenny."

1958: The Bee Gees begin to record, although they wouldn't develop their their trademark falsetto style until the disco craze of the mid-1970s.

1958: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles also begin to record.

1958: Herb Jenning of the Ladders threatens to shatter glass on "I Want To Know" and "My Love Is Gone."

1958: The Capris record "There's A Moon Out Tonight."

1960: Elvis Presley records "Crying In The Chapel." Jimmy Jones hits the ultra-high notes on "Handyman" and "Good Timin'." Frankie Valli renames his quartet the Four Seasons, after a bowling alley!

1961: Jay Siegel's falsetto lead soars in the still-unique "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by the Tokens.

1961: The Beach Boys begin to record, featuring Brian Wilson's falsetto patterned after Bob Flanigan's of the Four Freshmen.

1961: Del Shannon's "Runaway" is a falsetto classic.

1962: Lou Christie begins to record; he has a powerful falsetto to rival Frankie Valli's. Meanwhile, Valli has his first big hit with "Sherry."

1962: Little Richard teaches Paul McCartney his signature falsetto "Wooo" in Hamburg, Germany. In an interview, Little Richard explains that he had "gotten the inspiration for that 'Wooo' from gospel singer Marion Williams." Later that same year the Beatles open for Little Richard in England.

1962: The first Beatles single, released in Germany, is a version of "My Bonnie [Lies Over The Ocean]" that opens sounding a ballad, then proceeds to Wooo's, yelps and primal falsetto screams.

1964: The Beatles arrive in the U.S. and Americans get to hear those Wooo's and screams in songs like "She Loves You," "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "Twist and Shout." The higher the Fab Four's voices soar, the more the girls scream back in delight.

1975: The Bee-Gees have a string of eight #1 hits beginning with "Jive Talkin'" and "You Should Be Dancing."

And the rest, as they say, is history ...

A More Comprehensive List of Great Falsetto Singers

Range data comes from the Range Place and similar sites (not everyone agrees on the lowest and highest notes)

Prince Rogers Nelson "Kiss," "Let's Go Crazy," "Get Off," "Hot Thing," "The Word," "God," "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic" (range G1-G7)

Freddie Mercury (Queen) "Don't Stop Me Now," "I Go Crazy," "Impromptu" (range F2-F6)

Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) "Dream On," "Walk This Way," "Crazy" (range D2-E6)
James Brown "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Funky President (People It's Bad)," "Sex Machine" (range E2-E6)

Marvin Gaye "What's Goin' On," "Got to Give it Up," "Never Let You Go" (range E2-E6)

Jeff Buckley "Grace," "Corpus Christi Carol," "So Real," "Last Goodbye" (range F2-E6)

Phillip Bailey (Earth, Wind & Fire) "That's the Way of the World," "Shining Star," "Easy Lover" (range G2-E6)

Elton John "Tiny Dancer," "Island Girl," "Levon," "Bennie and the Jets," "Chameleon," "Social Disease" (range E2-D6)

Burton Cummings (Guess Who) (range C2-D6)

Paul McCartney (Beatles) "Helter Skelter," "Twist and Shout," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band" (range B1-C6)

Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) "Stairway to Heaven," "Immigrant Song," "Whole Lotta Love," "Black Dog," "You Shook Me" (range E2-C6)

Stevie Wonder (range E2-C6)

Michael Jackson "Butterflies," "Earth Song," "Man In The Mirror," "Dirty Diana," "Smooth Criminal," "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (range F2-C6)

Steve Perry (Journey) "Wheel in the Sky," "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'," "On a Saturday Night" (range C3-C6)

Jackie Wilson "Danny Boy," "Lonely Teardrops," "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (range A2-C6)

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) (range B1-B6)

Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) may have the widest range of all the famous male singers "Ain't It Fun" (range F1-B6)

Elvis Presley "Blue Moon," "Fever," "Unchained Melody," "Burning Love," "It's Now or Never," "One Night," "Money Honey" (range F1-G5)

David Bowie "Joe the Lion," "John I'm Only Dancing Again" (range G1-G5)

Peter Gabriel (Genesis) (range G1-G5)

Roger Daltrey (Who) (range B1-G5)

Bono (U2) (range B2-G5)

Barry Gibb (Bee Gees) "Nights On Broadway," "Night Fever," "Jive Talkin'," "Love So Right," "Stayin' Alive" (range A2-G5)

Robin Gibb (Bee Gees) "I Started A Joke," "Massachusetts," "Message To You," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," "How Many Birds" (range G2-E5)

Roy Orbison (the operatic "Caruso of Rock") "Crying," "Leah," "Blue Angel," "Only the Lonely," "Running Scared," "It's Over," "Blue Bayou," "Danny Boy" (range E2-E5)

Jim Morrison (Doors) (range E2-B5)

Bruce Springsteen (range E2-B5)

Thom Yorke (Radiohead) "Idioteque," "Paranoid Android," "Nude," "Lotus Flower," "Fake Plastic Trees," Rattlesnake" (range E2-B5)

Ray Charles (range G2-B5)

John Lennon (Beatles) "In My Life," "Twist and Shout," "Mother," "Money," "Don't Let Me Down" (range B1-A5)

Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones) "Fool To Cry," "Emotional Rescue" (range E2-A5)

Others

Frankie Valli (Four Seasons): "Sherry," "Dawn," "Stay," "Rag Doll," "Walk Like A Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry"

Lou Christie "Lightning Strikes," "Two Faces Have I," "The Gypsy Cried"

Sly Stone (Family Stone) "Stand," "Dance to the Music," "I Want to Take You Higher" (and boy did he!)

Russell Thompkins Jr. (the Stylistics) "Betcha By Golly Wow," "You Make Me Feel Brand New"

Jimmy Jones (Sparks of Rhythm, The Savoys) "Handyman," "Stars are in the Sky," "Say You're Mine," "I Told You So," "Good Timin'"

Maurice Gibb (Bee Gees) "Closer Than Close," "Man In The Middle," "Walking On Air"

Andy Gibb "I Just Want to Be Your Everything," "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water," "Shadow Dancing"

Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) "Don’t Worry Baby," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Surf's Up"

Carl Wilson (Beach Boys) "God Only Knows," "Surf's Up"

Aaron Neville "I Don't Know Much," "Tell It Like It Is," "Everybody Plays The Fool"

Sam Smith "Stay with Me," "(I Know) I'm Not the Only One," "Lay Me Down," "How Will I Know," "Too Good at Goodbye," "Latch"

Billy Kenny (the Ink Spots) "If I Didn't Care" (recorded in 1939, it sold over 19 million copies, becoming the 7th-best-selling single of all time)

Pete Seeger (the Weavers) "Wimoweh" aka "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Smokey Robinson (the Miracles): "Tracks Of My Tears," "Ooh Baby Baby," "Being With You," "Cruisin'"

Jay Siegel (the Tokens) "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Solomon Linda and The Evening Birds "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"

Del Shannon "Runaway," "Little Town Flirt," "I Go to Pieces," "Handyman," "Hats Off to Larry," "Hey Little Girl"

Robert John "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Sad Eyes," "Hey There Lonely Girl," "Lonely Eyes"

Eddie Kendricks (the Temptations) "Get Ready," "Just My Imagination"

Clyde McPhatter (the Drifters) "A Lover's Question," "Money Honey," "The Way I Feel," and a doo-wop version of "White Christmas"

Curtis Mayfield (the Impressions) "People Get Ready," "Pusherman," "Freddie's Dead"

Pharrell Williams "Happy," "Get Lucky" (with Daft Punk), "Blurred Lines" (with Robin Thicke), "Frontin'" (ft. Jay-Z), "Beautiful" (with Snoop Dog)

Robin Thicke "Lost Without U," "Blurred Lines" (ft. Pharrell Williams and T.I.), "Get Her Back," "Magic"

Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) "Stacks," "For Emma, Forever Ago," "Towers," "Skinny Love," "Comrade" (with Volcano Choir)

Will Hart (the Delfonics) "La-La Means I Love You"

Harry Ray (the Moments aka Ray, Goodman & Brown)

Gene Chandler "Duke Of Earl"

Chris Isaak "Wicked Game," "Cheater's Town"

Al Green "Still In Love With You"

Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5 and a coach/judge on The Voice, is noted for his falsetto on songs like "Animals" and "Payphone"

Justin Timberlake (N'Synch and solo), on songs like "Cry Me a River," "Take Back the Night" and "My Love"

Eddie Holman "Hey There Lonely Girl"

Neil Young "Heart of Gold," "After the Gold Rush," "Old Man"

Little Anthony (the Imperials) "Tears on My Pillow"
Ce-Lo Green "Crazy," "Forget You"

Beck "Debra"

Don McLean "Crying"

Jackson Browne "Stay"

"Taxi" male soprano with Harry Chapin's band

Timothy B. Schmit (Eagles) "I Can't Tell You Why"

Randy Meisner (Eagles) "Take it to the Limit"

Todd Rundgren "Hello It's Me"

Matthew Bellamy (Muse)

The Weeknd "Can't Feel My Face," "Rolling Stone," "Wicked Games," "Starboy," "The Hills"

Slim Whitman singing "Danny Boy" and yodeling on "Blue Bayou," "Cattle Call" and "Indian Love Call"

Michael Angelakos (Passion Pit) "To Kingdom Come," "The Reeling," "Stained Glass Windows"

Joe Feeney (the Irish tenor on the Lawrence Welk show) "Danny Boy," "My Wild Irish Rose"

John Gourley (Portugal. The Man) "So Young," "Feel It Still," "Modern Jesus"

Justin Hawkins "This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us," "More than a Feeling"

Arthur Ashin (Autre Ne Veut) "Counting," "Play by Play," "Axiety," "On & On"

Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) "Diane Young," "Unbelievers," "Blurred Lines," "Oxford Comma"

The-Dream "Falsetto," "Love King"
Emanuel "E.J." Johnson (Enchantment)
Phil Perry
Hayden Thorpe
Matt Bellamy (Muse) "Uprising," "Madness," "Supremacy"
Jimmy Somerville
King Diamond
Kishore Kumar
J. Marvin Brown (the Softones) "Hey There Lonely Girl"
Mika
Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips)
Chris Martin (Coldplay)
Phil Wickham "Spirit of the Living God," "Hallelujah"
Miguel "How Many Drinks," "Adorn, "All I Want Is You"
Larry Henley "I'd Be A-Lyin'"
Little Jimmy Scott "Day By Day"
Scissor Sisters "I Don’t Feel Like Dancing"
Ted "Wizzard" Mills (Blue Magic)
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"
Jonsi Birgisson (Sigur Ros)
Richard Jose (in those days, known as a counter-tenor)
Frank Ocean "Wise Man"

How Good Was Elvis Presley, Really?

Pretty damn good! Dave De Sylvia reviewing 'The Sun Sessions', and Elvis' vocal abilities, for SPUTNIK Music, on June 1, 2006 said: Elvis' lowest effective note was a low-G, as heard on 'He'll Have To Go' (1976); on 'King Creole' (1958), he growls some low-F's; going up, his highest full-voiced notes were the high-B's in 'Surrender' (1961) and 'Merry Christmas Baby' (1971), the high-G at the end of 'My Way' (1976 live version), and the high-A of 'An American Trilogy' (1972); using falsetto, Elvis could reach at least a high-E, e.g, as in 'Unchained Melody' (1977), so, it was very nearly a three-octave range, although more practically two-and-a-half'.

What made Elvis such a great vocalist, in my opinion, was the fact that he could sing softly and sweetly ("Crying in the Chapel"), in a rich baritone (many of his best songs), with tremendous power ("Battle Hymn of the Republic"), and in an eerie, haunting falsetto ("Blue Moon"). Prince and Michael Jackson were great singers, but they never sang with the power of Elvis's "Battle Hymn" or "How Great Thou Art" or "You'll Never Walk Alone." Axl Rose is a great singer, but he never sang as sweetly as Elvis's "Crying in the Chapel." It's hard to think of another male vocalist who could match Elvis's versatility from low and rich to high and sweet, from delicate sweetness to stirring power.

True Falsetto Facts

On January 12, 1939, The Ink Spots entered Decca studios to record a ballad written by a young songwriter named Jack Lawrence. This ballad, "If I Didn't Care", was to be one of their biggest hits, selling over 19 million copies and becoming the 7th-best-selling single of all time.

The Tokens were formed in the middle 1950s by Neil Sedaka, when he and Siegel were students at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn; Sedaka later went solo. Siegel reminisces about how "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" — which utilizes a South African chant ("wimoweh, wimoweh") — came about.

"I was in high school," Siegel recalls. "I must have been about 16 years old. I was a big fan of folk music. I was listening to the radio one day, and I heard this great piece of music by the Weavers at Carnegie Hall with Pete Seger. They were singing this song called 'Wimoweh.' I loved it. The whole lead vocal was done in falsetto. I just loved the melody, the whole idea of it. And I realized that I was able to sing that falsetto."

Siegel mastered the Weavers' song and taught it to the Tokens, "just for fun." Flash-forward to 1961, when the Tokens were looking for a follow-up to their hit "Tonight I Fell in Love."

"We were singing for our producers at RCA Victor," Siegel recalls.

"We said, 'Oh, let's sing this song for them and see what they think.' I did the 'wimoweh' — it had no lyric or anything — and they thought it had some commercial potential if there were a lyric written to it."

Siegel says he then did some research on "wimoweh" (which is traditionally spelled "mbube.") His findings: "This is what they used to chant when they went on a lion hunt. The basic meaning of the song is that when they went on the lion hunt, if everyone was very, very quiet, the lion would sleep and they'd be able to make their kill. And then everyone would have lion meat in the village for the next three months. That's the story of what it really meant. So our producers at RCA wrote a lyric to it."

Siegel says he rewrote "about eight bars" to fit the melody.

Not everyone saw the commercial potential of the finished song.

"Three guys of the four guys in the group said, no, they didn't even want it to be released," Siegel says with a laugh.

"They thought it was too weird for the time. There was nothing like it. But I thought it had a shot. In just four weeks, it became a No. 1 record in the United States."

As for Siegel's high-pitched vocal solo on the song: "I don't speak falsetto, but I sing that way."

"Wimoweh" evolved from an African tune "Mbube," recorded by migrant worker Solomon Linda in the 1930s. When Siegel and the others pitched the song to RCA Records, they put lyricist George Weiss to work revising and adding lyrics. Weiss also wrote hits like "It's a Wonderful World," for Louis Armstrong and "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You," for Elvis. When Weiss was done, Siegel reworked the melody to fit the lyrics and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was released on Oct. 16, 1961, just five days before Siegel married the girl he met when both attended New York City Community College. He studied retail distribution, he says, figuring he'd end up working in Manhattan's Garment District. "Who thought you could make a living in music?" he says, still sounding surprised he actually did. He and Judy moved to Rockland in 1971 and raised three children — Jared, Stacy and Jamie.

Two months after its release, on Dec. 17, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" topped the chart and started on a half-century success path. There's the gold record, emblematic of a million records sold, on the Siegels' living room wall. There have been 300 or more cover versions by other artists, Siegel says, and when the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America named the Top 365 Songs of the Century, the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" came in at 159. The song is featured in "The Lion King," and there's an animated version on YouTube that's gotten more than 21 million views. It was even part of a PBS documentary, tracing the history from Solomon Linda to the Tokens.

Siegel and the group have been inducted into the Doo-Wopp Hall of Fame of America, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Museum, in 2004, and the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, in 2007. There were more hits for the Tokens — "I Hear Trumpets Blow" and "Portrait of My Love," among others. Siegel says they were one of the first "self-contained vocal groups," in that they wrote, sang, played and even produced their own work. They did all that for others, too, in the 1960s and '70s. "When we weren't in the studio making records," Siegel says, "we were producing for others," including Tony Orlando and Dawn ("Tie a Yellow Ribbon," ''Candida," ''Knock Three Times") and the Chiffons ("He's So Fine").

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